Hot Chocolate Run is just one ingredient in this weekend’s traffic headaches
Feb 26, 2026, 6:41 PM
I-405 northbound from South 3rd Street in Renton. (Photo: @SounderBruce via Flickr Creative Commons)
(Photo: @SounderBruce via Flickr Creative Commons)
Several full closures, ramp closures, and extended lane closures will make it rough for commuters this weekend.
In the Bothell/Woodinville area, a full closure of State Route 522 (SR 522) will clog up I-405 between Canyon Park and Bothell. Lane and ramp closures along I-405 through Renton are on the docket, and the annual Hot Chocolate Run will shut down State Route 99 (SR 99) in Seattle.
Hot Chocolate Run will close downtown Seattle
Sunday, March 1, thousands of runners will take to Seattle streets in the annual Hot Chocolate Run.
A number of surface streets between the Seattle Center and downtown, along 5th Avenue, will be closed during the morning meet.
Also, northbound State Route 99 (SR 99) will shut down for this event between the north end of the downtown tunnel and the zoo, at Northeast 50th Street, from 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Construction will cause backups in Bothell on SR 522
A full closure in both directions of SR 522 at the I-405 interchange will bring massive backups between Canyon Park and Bothell during daytime hours.
Crews will remove the remaining portion of the northbound I-405 ramp over SR 522 as part of the I-405/Brickyard to SR 527 Improvement Project. This ramp needs to be removed to open the center of the interchange for I-405 expansion in Bothell.
Eastbound and westbound SR 522 will be closed between 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, and 4 a.m. Monday, March 2.
Crews will start closing lanes as early as 9 p.m. Signed detours will be in place.
The eastbound SR 522 detour can be viewed here. The westbound SR 522 detour can be viewed here.
The following ramps will also close:
- Southbound I-405 off-ramp to eastbound SR 522.
- Northbound I-405 off-ramp to westbound SR 522.
Another heads up! Next weekend, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is scheduled to close both directions of I-405 at the SR 522 interchange as part of this project.
Renton construction will cause congestion on I-405
The I-405 off-ramps to State Route 167 (SR 167) will have the HOV lanes closed this weekend. This will add congestion to the off-ramps with the potential to bring added volumes approaching the interchange.
Crews will complete sign structure work in the area as part of the I-405/Renton to Bellevue Widening and Express Toll Lanes Project.
The HOV lanes will close from 11 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, to 4 a.m. Monday, March 2.
Drivers should anticipate delays during peak driving times.
Sound Transit to close I-5 off-ramp
Sound Transit will close the northbound I-5 off-ramp to Northeast 130th Street from 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, until 5 a.m. Monday, March 2.
This is part of the ongoing work on the Pinehurst Station, which is part of the Lynnwood Link Extension project and is scheduled to open later this year.
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Ongoing projects
Revive I-5 has 2 left lanes blocked northbound across the Ship Canal Bridge. During this extended project, the express lanes remain northbound only 24/7.
Northbound on the 1st Avenue South Bridge, two right lanes are closed for emergency repair work. The speed limit is reduced to 25 mph.
WSDOT is expected to have an update on repairs on Friday, March 6.
Nate Connors is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Follow him on X. Read more of his stories here. Submit news tips here.
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